Wubba Lubba Dub Dub
by Dead Man's Toe
Summary: Rick decides it's his time to die, but Morty disagrees. With the help of an old friend, he attempts to get his grandpa back on his feet and show him that life is worth living. Not incest. Sequal to Don't Let Go. TW for suicide attempt.
1. Pills and Vodka

Rick was drunk. So drunk. And yet, no drunk enough. His flask had been forgotten, and he was chugging straight from the bottle of vodka. His mind was too messy. There were too many feelings. He needed to block them out.

Four years ago, he had told Morty that depression ran in the family. Once Morty was better, Rick thought he was too. But it only got worse. Morty was eighteen now, had his own portal gun, and didn't need his grandpa anymore.

Rick hadn't realized just how much he depended on the boy. But now, it was becoming painstakingly obvious. Rick took another swig of vodka. Morty didn't need him anymore, so maybe it was time to set Morty free.

It wasn't as if anyone would miss him. Rick knew that Morty would just get another Rick from the citadel for the sake of Beth. For some reason, his daughter still loved him, even after all he put her through. He was a terrible father. He had tried to atone for that by being a good grandfather, but it seemed that with Summer away at the University and Morty busy with his own college classes he wasn't needed.

Rick knew what he needed to do now. He reached into his drawers and found a bottle of sleeping pills. He had been saving them for a science experiment, but it looked like there weren't going to be any more of those. Rick sighed, opened the lid, and poured the contents into his mouth. He washed it down with another swig of vodka. It was his time.

The bottle fell from his hand as Rick fell backwards into the chair. He dropped the vodka bottle, and it shattered on the ground. "Shit," Rick muttered. He wasn't done with that. Now, he had nothing left to drown out the pain until he faded away. He grumbled at the headache forming in his head.

Just then, he heard the door open and shut. It didn't bother him. Nobody ever came to check on him anyways. He only hoped Morty would find his note in time and get him replaced before Beth knew anything. He had put his daughter through enough. He couldn't put her through his suicide too.

"Hey, Rick, you home?" Morty called out. Thank god it was Morty.

Rick rubbed his temples again and wondered how long this was supposed to take. His head continued to hurt stronger and stronger, and he had to hold his hand over his mouth to keep from groaning in pain.

Black spots danced in his vision. "Rick? Hello?" Morty called out again. Rick sighed. Why couldn't the kid just leave him alone? It was his time, after all.

Rick reached into his pocket and pulled out his flask. There was still a little bit of vodka in there, enough to push him into a blackout.

* * *

Morty had just gotten home from his classes, and the whole house stank like alcohol. "Hey, Rick, you home?" he called out, already knowing the answer. Unless Rick was blackout streaking through the neighborhood again, he was shit-faced somewhere. Morty decided to go check his room. "Rick? Hello?" he called out, beginning to worry a little.

Rick wasn't in his bedroom, but there was an envelope with Morty's name on it on the bed. "Huh?" Morty wondered aloud. He picked it up and ripped it open, revealing the note hidden inside.

 _Morty,_

 _I've enjoyed our adventures together. Thank you so much for being my little helper. But I'm afraid my time has come. Just do me a favor and get a replacement Rick for Beth. She doesn't need to be abandoned by her father again._

 _Rick_

"Motherfucker!" Morty exclaimed as he ran to the garage, the second place he suspected Rick would be. He threw the door open, not caring about privacy. Rick was there, slumped over his desk, drool falling out of his mouth. The stench of vodka was strong, and he realized there was a puddle of the stuff next to Rick's chair. For a moment, Morty was relieved, until he saw the bottle of pills discarded on the floor.

"Shit!" Morty exclaimed, scooping it up and reading the label. It was some alien drug that he didn't recognize. He grabbed Rick's shoulders and shook him hard. "Rick!" he shouted. "Wake up!"

To his relief, Rick seemed to come to, then immediately emptied the contents of his stomach onto Morty's shirt. Morty was too anxious to be grossed out. "What did you take?" he demanded.

"Ssssleeeping piiiillllllssss," he slurred slowly.

"Damn it," Morty swore softly. There was only one place he could trust to make sure Rick was safe now, and he hadn't been there in four years.

"Come on, stand up," Morty ordered, supporting Rick with his shoulder. He fiddled with his portal gun, setting the coordinates that would he forever locked in his memory. He opened the portal, and, supporting his weak grandfather, walked through into the lobby of the best hospital in the multiverse.

"Help!" Morty exclaimed. "My grandpa overdosed." And probably has alcohol poisoning. But Morty didn't say that part out loud. Immediately, the nurses jumped into action, hoisting Rick up onto a stretched and moving him into one of their rooms. As Morty followed them, he shot a quick text to Liz.

 _Rick overdosed. At hospital now._

The doctor ran some kind of scanner over Rick's stomach, deciding if he needed to pump his stomach or not. "It looks like all the medication he took ended up on your shirt," he said, putting the scanner away.

"Thank god." Morty ran his hands over his face. Rick was going to be ok.

"We can keep him here overnight. We'll send someone in the morning to see if he wants to admit himself to the psych ward.

Morty checked his phone. He had one message from Liz.

 _On my way._

Morty leaned back in his chair and sighed. He pulled his shirt off and threw it in the trash. Trying to clean it was going to be too much. A nurse brought him a gray hoodie to cover up with while Morty waited for his grandpa to wake up again.


	2. Comfort

Rick groaned upon realizing he was still alive. Then he froze. He was in a bed. How had he gotten there? He opened his eyes hesitantly, preparing for the worst-case scenario. Upon seeing that he was in a hospital (best one in the universe), he groaned again. So he had failed.

"Good morning, Rick," came a voice from his right.

Rick rolled over to face his grandson, Morty. He was wearing a gray hoodie and looked completely disheveled like he hadn't slept all night. "Where'd that hoodie come from?" Rick asked.

"Well, you sicked up all your sleeping pills onto my shirt," Morty snapped.

Shit.

Rick winced as last night's events came back to him. "Sorry you had to see that," he apologized. "Lezz jusss go home now," he slurred.

"You're not going anywhere until the doctor clears you," Morty said firmly.

"Bullshit I'm not," Rick grunted, searching for his portal gun.

"You won't find your portal gun," Morty said, clearly annoyed.

"What'd you do with it?" Rick asked gruffly.

Morty held up his hands. It was then that Rick noticed Morty was still holding his note. "Relax. I left it at home."

Rick sighed and rolled back onto his back. Morty stood and walked over to him. He threw the piece of paper down on his chest and angrily asked, "Remember this?"

He took the wrinkled note in his hands and noticed the tear stains on it. But Rick hadn't been crying when he wrote the note. That meant Morty must have been crying over it. A pang of guilt hit him right in the stomach. Morty wasn't supposed to get hurt.

"M-m-morty," he stuttered. "Why're youEURGH sad?"

Morty glared down at him and scoffed. "Why am I sad?" he asked. "Seriously?"

"You weren't supposed to get hurt," Rick stated plainly. "Don't shed any tears over grandpa-"

"Shut up!" Morty screamed. "Don't tell me what not to do! You tried- you t-tried to-" he broke into sobs.

Every limb hurt, but Rick pushed himself up into a sitting position and pulled Morty into a hug. "I'm sorry," he said softly, rubbing soothing circles on Morty's back. That was all he could say. Morty cried harder, burying his face into the sleeve of his hoodie.

When he had cried himself out, Morty looked down at his grandpa. "Why'd you do it?" he asked.

"I didn't think I mattered anymore," he admitted. "I was losing you to your schooling, and I just missed you so bad that I- I couldn't go on without you."

Morty sighed and sat down on the bed. He wrapped his arms tightly around his grandpa. "You're not losing me," he said. "You're never gonna lose me. Admittedly, I've been a bit busy, but Rick, I live for our adventures. It just wouldn't be the same if I got some random Rick to replace you. It's you I need."

"Ok," Rick said, acknowledging his grandson. "I'm really sorry. I won't do it again."

"Do you promise?" Morty asked through his tears, and Rick felt his heart breaking all over again. It wasn't supposed to turn out like this. He had hurt Morty, and that was the one thing he was never supposed to do.

"I promise," he said.

"Good," Morty replied. "Because if you leave me, I'll be alone. I can't be alone, Rick."

Rick sighed. The boy only had one friend, and despite the family therapy four years ago, things weren't great between his parents, and he didn't have his sister around anymore.

"I'm not leaving you, kiddo. Not yet anyways. Grandpa's really sorry, please don't cry Morty."

Morty sniffled and wiped his face on his hoodie sleeve. "You're gonna be ok, right?"

"Yeah, Morty," he responded. "Grandpa's gonna be just fine."

* * *

Morty had stepped out into the lobby to get a glass of water when he saw Liz entering the hospital. Her familiar green hair was tied up in a bun, and her eyes had bags under them, probably from flying all night. He ran up to her, and the two embraced tightly. "How are you doing?" Liz asked.

"I've had better days," Morty replied.

"So tell me, what happened?" Liz asked, pulling away. Her eyes were full of concern.

"I got home and the whole house stank. I found him in the garage. He-" his voice broke at this point "-had swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills and vodka. I woke him up, and he threw up all over me. Lucky for him, that means he didn't have to get his stomach pumped."

"That's awful," Liz replied. "Did he say why he did it?"

A tear escaped Morty's eye as his voice wobbled. "It's my fault."

"Hey," Liz said softly, pulling him into another hug. "It is not your fault."

"I-i-i've been so busy with schoolwork, and- and Rick thought he was loosing me, and I-" Morty broke into a sob.

Liz rubbed his back gently. "It's not your fault," she repeated. "Hell, you saved his life by waking him up. Who knows what could have happened if it weren't for you being there exactly when he needed you?"

"I wasn't there when he needed me," Morty argued. "That's why he did it."

Liz sighed and pulled away. "Look, Morty, you're going to have to forgive yourself for being busy." Morty looked down at the floor to avoid eye contact. "Can you do that?"

"No," Morty answered honestly. "I of all people should know what it's like. Hell, I tried the same thing just four years ago."

"And Rick was there exactly when you needed him," Liz interrupted.

"Yeah," Morty responded with a sniffle.

"And now, you're gonna do the same for him. You're not alone in this, okay Morty? I'm gonna be right by your side the whole time."

"Thanks," Morty responded. He wiped his eyes on his hoodie sleeve. "Do we admit him to the psych ward?" he asked.

"Well, we can't force him to stay against his will," Liz responded.

"I was forced to stay here against my will," Morty complained.

"You were a kid," Liz explained. "There's a difference. Besides, I don't think the psych ward's what he needs."

"Then what does he need?" Morty asked.

"He needs you, Morty."


	3. Evaluation

"If I have to stay here for one more goddamn minute, I'm gonna kill someone!" Rick shouted.

To his right, Morty sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Rick, you know we can't leave until the psych eval says you're not a danger to yourself or anyone else."

"It's not like I-i'm gonna go out andEURGH kill someone," Rick protested.

"Well, you did just say you would," Morty countered.

Rick growled, but he couldn't argue that point. "Fine," he spat, "but once they clear me, we're leaving."

Morty bit his bottom lip softly, and Rick dreaded the words that were about to come out of his mouth. "Well, maybe you should consider staying," he said.

Rick glared as hard as he could. "I'm gonna pretend you did not just say that."

Morty sighed again. "All I'm saying is, this place helped me when I was at my lowest, and I got better."

"I'm not sick, M-morty," Rick protested.

"Then what are you?"

Just then, Liz entered the room holding a glass of water. Rick was grateful for the distraction. He took the glass from Liz's hands and downed the cool liquid, soothing his aching throat.

"Psychiatrist said she'll be here any minute to do your eval," Liz said, taking the empty glass and setting it on the nightstand.

"Good," Rick grunted. "The sooner I get evaluEURGHated, the sooner we can leave."

"I know you're anxious to get out of here," Liz said. "But Morty saved you from drowning in your own vomit. Is that really the last image you want your grandson to have of you?"

Rick looked away and blushed, chastised. "I-i never did thank you Morty for bringing me here," he said.

"You're welcome, Rick," Morty said softly. "Even if you did throw up all over my shirt."

Rick cringed. "Yeah... I'm never gonna live that one down, am I?"

Morty chuckled softly, and Rick sighed with contentment at hearing the noise. It was good to know his grandson hadn't been traumatized too badly by seeing his grandpa in that state.

There was a knock on the door, and a doctor walked in. "Hello," she said pleasantly. "I'm Doctor Larson, and I'll be completing your evaluation today."

"We'll give you two some privacy," Liz said. She took Morty's hand and gently led him out of the room, leaving Rick alone with the doctor.

Rick scowled at her as she sat in the chair Morty had been sitting in. "Why don't you tell me why you're so eager to leave, Mr. Sanchez?"

"Because I don't respect therapy," he said. "Because I can take care of myself."

"We all need someone to take care of us sometimes, Mr. Sanchez, as was proven last night. Your grandson Morty took care of you, correct?"

"Yeah," Rick mumbled. "Poor kid. But it won't happen again. I swear it."

"So you have no intention of harming yourself again then?" the doctor asked.

"Correct," Rick replied with an eye roll.

"And you do not appear to be a danger to anyone else. Maybe just a public nuisance when drunk. But you don't drink and drive?"

"Absolutely not," Rick lied.

"Well then, Mr. Sanchez, you have two options. You can admit yourself into our psychiatric program, or you can take your family and leave."

Rick scoffed. "Yeah. I'm leaving."

The doctor stood up and dusted off her lab coat. "Alright then," she said. "I hope we don't see you back here."

"You won't," Rick called as she left the room.

* * *

"I can't lose him, Liz. I just can't."

Morty was on the verge of tears as the two walked to the lobby. "That's not gonna happen anytime soon," Liz said, squeezing his hand. "You did the right thing bringing him here. He needed a wake up call, and this is it."

"Yeah," Morty sniffled. "I didn't realize how lonely he was. I guess I need to make more time to see him."

"You shouldn't bear that weight alone," Liz replied. "Tell your mother and your sister what happened. Let them help too."

"Yeah, I should," Morty responded, plopping down into one of the lobby chairs. "Let me call them now."

First, he rang his mother. "Morty? Is everything alright, sweetie?"

Morty sighed. "No," he answered. "Grandpa overdosed. We're at the hospital now."

"Oh my god," Beth responded. "Is he gonna be okay?"

"Well, that's up to us," Morty said. "You see, Rick is lonely, and we need to spend more time with him."

"Of course," Beth replied. "Oh god, I'm such a horrible daughter for not spending enough time with him."

"Don't blame yourself. I'm the one closest to him, and I didn't even see this coming. I've just been so busy with school and everything."

"It's not your fault either," Beth said. "Let's just be thankful that you got him to the hospital."

"Yeah."

Morty said his goodbyes and hung up the phone. "That went well," he observed.

"Of course," Liz responded. "Your mom loves him too. We all do."

Morty dialed Summer's number next. "Hey, Morty," she said. "What's up?"

He decided to just be blunt. "Grandpa tried to kill himself," he said.

"Oh my god!" Summer exclaimed. "Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he's gonna be fine," Morty replied. He heard Summer sigh with relied. "But we need to be there for him."

"You're absolutely right," Summer responded. "I'll start coming down some weekends to see him," she said. "Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to help."

"I will. Thanks."

He hung up, and turned back to Liz. "How do we know if it's going to be enough?" he asked. A tear slipped down his face.

Liz gently rested her head on Morty's shoulder. "Because there is no way in hell you and I are giving up on him," she said. "No matter what. It will be enough."


	4. Home

Rick still hurt, but he managed to walk into the waiting room where Morty and Liz had been waiting on him. "I take it you're not staying?" Morty asked.

Rick burped. "Hell no," he said. "You better get your portal gun ready."

"Hey, you wanna make a really big portal that I can fly my ship through?" Liz asked. "I haven't slept in at least twenty-four hours, and I don't think I can make the trip again." She finished with a huge yawn.

"Yeah, of course," Morty said. "Liz, I just realized, I haven't even thanked you for coming."

Liz opened her mouth to speak, but Rick cut her off. "Yeah, yeah, flirt later, let's go home now," he said sternly.

Morty turned bright red while Liz only rolled her eyes. "You're welcome, Morty," she said gently.

The three walked out into the parking lot. Liz helped Rick inside her ship then hopped into the driver's seat. "Ready when you are," she said.

Morty set the coordinates for home, and shot a portal right in front of the ship. He climbed into the back and shut the door. Liz flew forward, and the ship was consumed by the green portal. On the other side was Morty's driveway. Liz parked the ship and turned it off.

Liz climbed out first, followed by Rick, and then Morty. Rick was eager for a drink, so he walked quickly to the house and threw open the front door.

Beth was in his arms as soon as he walked in. "I love you," she said tearfully. "Please don't leave us."

Rick sighed softly and rested his head on her's. "I'm not leaving anytime soon," he reassured her.

Beth pulled away. "I made you welcome-home-pancakes. Are you hungry?"

Rick's stomach growled. "Yeah," he admitted. He was starting to be able to smell them, and they smelled really good. He walked into the dining room, where Jerry was sitting down, playing on his tablet.

Upon entering, Jerry looked up and gave him a smile. "Glad you're home, Rick," he said.

"Whatever, Jerry," Rick grunted as he made his way to his seat. Beth placed the pancakes in front of him, and he dug in.

"Thanks, Beth," he said in between bites. "These are really good."

"Anything for you, Dad."

He thought he saw Jerry roll his eyes, but he ignored it. "I'm really sorry if I scared you, Beth. I-i don't even know why you still want me around.

Beth reached out and gently touched his hand. "Because I love you, Dad," she replied. "I love you, and that's not gonna change."

"I love you too, Beth."

* * *

"I could use a nap," Liz said. "Or two."

"Of course," Morty replied. "You can borrow Summer's room for now, she's not home."

"Sounds good," Liz replied with a yawn.

"Thank you so much for flying all night just to see me," Morty said softly. "You didn't have to do that."

Liz smiled. "What else are friends for?" she asked.

"It's the second door to the right," Morty replied. "Just make yourself comfortable."

"Thanks," Liz responded.

Morty was tired as well, having only gotten a few hours himself, but he didn't think he could sleep right now. Not after what he had just been through. Seeing Rick slumped over the desk was the most scared he had been in his life, and he had been through a lot of life-or-death situations with Rick.

He walked out into the dining room, seeing Rick almost done eating his pancakes. His mother stood up and hugged him tightly. "Thank you for saving him," she whispered.

"I always will," Morty replied, and Beth hugged him tighter.

"You've grown so much," she said. "Sometimes I don't realize it."

"Don't worry," he replied. "I'll always be your little Morty."

His mother affectionately ruffled his hair. He was about to say something else, but Rick interrupted him with a loud burp. "I need a drink and some Ball Fondlers," Rick said. "Who's with me."

Morty laughed softly. His grandpa was the same old Rick. "I'll watch with you," he said. "But I think I'll skip the drink part." His grandpa had been a huge deterrent to alcohol for him.

"Whatever," his grandpa said, filling his flask with God-knows-what. Morty just hoped it wasn't vodka. He wasn't sure if he could take the smell so soon after last night. "Where's your girlfriend?"

Morty blushed again. "She's not my girlfriend, and she's sleeping in Summer's room."

"Rough flight?"

"Rick," Morty groaned. "She flew all night just to see you."

"Nope," Rick answered, plopping down on the sofa. "She flew all night to see you."

Morty rolled his eyes. He sat down next to his grandpa. "You know you're my best friend, right?" he asked.

"Morty, you doEURGHn't have to get all soft on me just because I almost died."

"No," Morty responded firmly. "I need you to know so you don't try anything stupid again."

Rick held one hand in the air and placed the other over his heart. "I solemnly swear I will not do anything stupid," he chanted.

"Jackass," Morty muttered, punching him lightly punching him in the arm. And for a moment, everything felt alright.


	5. A Good Team

When Rick awoke the next morning, he was relieved to find himself in his own bed. He smiled to himself. He was safe, Morty was safe, and everything was going to be okay. He burped, stretched, got up, and made his way to the kitchen.

Beth was in there, scrambling some eggs. "Good morning, Dad," she greeted.

"Good morning," Rick returned. "Where's Morty at?"

"He's sleeping," Beth replied. "And don't go waking him up. He's had a rough couple of days."

Rick grumbled to himself as he sat at the table. Beth served him a plate of scrambled eggs and toast, which he ate slowly. He had been hoping to go on an adventure with the boy to take his mind off of the past few days' events. He supposed some food and interdimensional cable would have to do for now.

Beth sat across from him. "Actually, Dad, I was hoping that we could go on an adventure."

Rick looked up at her in disbelief. "I don-don't need your pity, Beth," he said. "I'm fine."

"That's not what this is about," Beth replied.

"Then what is it about?" Rick asked.

"I just want to spend time with you," Beth answered. "We missed so much time when I was a child, and I want to make it up. For me."

"Okay," Rick replied. He couldn't deny his daughter that. "What kind of adventure were you thinking of going on?"

"I was thinking of a hunting trip," Beth responded. "Any planets with dangerous monsters you know about?"

Rick thought for a moment. "There are many uncivilized planets where the local dominant species live in fear of what to them would be monsters," he said. "Anuva's one of them. How about we start there?"

"Alright," Beth replied with a big grin. "Let's go save some aliens!"

Rick stood and led Beth into the garage. He handed her a large assault rifle and strapped one of his own to his back. "Ready for adventure?" he asked.

"Ready!" Beth exclaimed.

Rick set the coordinates into his portal gun, and within a few seconds, they were on Anuva. The planet looked much like Earth with green grass, trees, and a blue sky. They landed in the middle of a small town, surrounded by huts. The Anuvians were a rather small species, mostly made up of blue tentacles. Upon arriving, Rick heard a lot of gasping. The Anuvians gathered around Rick and Beth, staring in wonder.

"Are you here to save us?" one of them asked.

"Save you from what?" Rick asked.

"The great monster that lives just north of our village," another said. "Every night, he awakens and hunts down anyone who is out after dark."

"That's right," Beth said. "We're here to hunt down the bastard and kill him."

Rick pulled out his compass and found which way north was. "Come on, this way," he said, leading Beth into the thick forest. They trudged through the vines and the mud, steadily making their way through until they came across a large cave.

"How much do you wanna bet the monster's in there?" Beth asked.

"Only one way to find out," Rick said, pressing forward. He entered the cave, automatically hearing the snoring of the beast.

"Hey Dad, wait up!" Beth yelled, and the snoring came to an abrupt stop.

"Shit, Beth be quiet," Rick whispered, holding the rifle out in front of him. He could hardly see and inch in front of his face, much less whatever monster the Anuvians were so afraid of.

Then suddenly, he saw a flash of bright green charging at him, heard the sound of gunfire behind him, and the monster was at his feet, oozing neon green blood. "Nice work, Beth," he complimented his daughter.

"We make a good team, Dad."

"We do."

* * *

It was late in the afternoon by the time Morty awoke. He groaned and rubbed his face. It was probably best that he checked on Rick.

He hopped out of bed and went down the stairs. Only Liz was sitting in the dining room, munching down on some of Rick's wafers. "Hey, Liz," Morty greeted.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," Liz said with a teasing grin.

"Don't judge," Morty replied, sitting down next to her. "Where is everyone?"

"Well your dad's at work, and your mother went off on an adventure with Rick," she replied.

Morty smiled brightly. "That's great," he said. His eyes darkened as the thing that had been bothering him last night came back to haunt him.

"What's on your mind?" Liz asked.

"It's just, I realized something when my grandpa tried to kill himself," he said.

Liz moved in her chair to face him. "What's that?"

"Rick... he's gonna die someday. And there's going to be nothing I can do about it. He-he's just going to be gone, and there's nothing I can do about it. He's gonna leave me, and I'm gonna be all alone."

"Hey," Liz said gently. She cupped his chin with her fingers and brought his face up so the two were making eye contact. "You're not alone. Not as long as I'm here."

Morty's eyes were watery as he leaned in closer. Liz didn't move, simply accepting his advances. He felt her warm breath on his face before he leaned in all the way and pressed his lips to hers. Liz kissed him back, pushing more fiercely. Morty grunted in surprise, giving in to her.

When the two pulled away, Morty had tear tracks running down his face. Liz reached up and gently wiped them away with her finger. "I know he's your best friend. And I know you're scared of losing him. But Morty, you're never going to be alone again."

"Thank you," Morty replied, sniffling. "What did I do to deserve a friend like you?"

Liz smiled at him teasingly. "Judging by that kiss, I think somebody wants to be more than friends."

"I think somebody else does too," Morty shot back, returning the smile. "Liz, would you like to go on a date with me?"

"I'd love to," Liz responded.


	6. Promise

Rick could tell there was something different about Morty and Liz as soon as he entered the room from the way they were looking at each other. Rick groaned. "Seriously, Morty?" he asked.

"What?" Morty replied defensively.

"You're hooking up with Liz?" he demanded.

"I don't think that's any of your business, but yes, I am," Morty answered.

Rick groaned again. "You were supposed to break the cycle, Morty," he insisted.

Morty pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "What cycle, Rick?"

"You're gonna get trapped in a failing marriage, just like the rest of us!" he yelled before storming off to the garage.

He didn't know why he was yelling at Morty. It was irrational, and he knew it, but it felt like he was losing Morty all over again. First to school, now to Liz... he couldn't take it anymore. He took a swig from his flask.

"Let me talk to him," he heard Liz say from the other room.

Rick groaned. He didn't need a lecture about love, and he certainly didn't need Liz to tell him that she was taking Morty. Morty wasn't supposed to grow up. Morty was supposed to be his little helper forever.

The door opened, but Rick pretended not to notice. It was selfish, he knew, wanting Morty to himself, but he couldn't help it. He could feel Liz watching him, even though his back was turned.

"I'm not gonna steal him from you," Liz said, finally breaking the silence.

Rick turned around in surprise. "What?" he asked.

"I'm not going to steal Morty from you," Liz repeated.

Rick didn't know how to reply. A lost look came over his face, and he felt the light drain from his eyes. "What does it matter?" he asked. "I'm losing him anyways."

"Then you don't know him very well," Liz argued. "Because he is terrified of losing you."

"He'll never lose me," Rick said softly.

"He almost did the other day," Liz reminded him. "When you decided to OD."

"Right," Rick replied uncomfortably. "Just... just don't EURGH break his heart, okay?"

Liz moved forwards and touched Rick's hand. "What was the name of the person who broke your heart?"

"Diane," Rick answered. "She made me choose between her or interdimensional travel."

"I'm not going to do that to Morty," Liz assured him. "And I'm not going to make him choose between the two of us. You're his best friend, Rick. There's no replacing you."

"You know what, Liz?" Rick asked. "You're okay."

Liz leaned forwards and hugged Rick. "You're gonna be okay," she said.

Surprisingly, Rick hugged her back. "Take care of him when I'm gone, okay?"

"I promise."

* * *

Morty felt hopeless. It seemed no matter what he did, he always let his grandpa down. He really wanted a relationship with Liz, but what was the price?

Liz returned from the garage and sat across from him. "How is he?" Morty asked.

"Better," Liz answered. Morty sighed with relief. "He's just terrified of losing you."

Morty laughed cheerlessly. "How can two people be so terrified of losing each other that they keep pushing each other away?"

Liz reached out and grabbed his hand. "Don't give up on him. He's trying his best, but deep down, he's scared."

"So am I," Morty replied. "What are we going to do?"

The garage door opened, and Rick came sauntering out, obviously in a better mood. He burped and sat down next to Morty. "Hey buddy," he said. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. Liz isn't so bad."

"It's ok," Morty replied.

"I couldn't make marriage work," Rick admitted. "And your parents? Well, they're on-again-off-again. But maybe you really can break the cycle."

Morty furrowed his brows in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Make it work," Rick replied.

Morty nodded. "I will," he said. "And it means a lot to me that you said that."

"Well, you mean a lot to me Morty, so if you love Liz, I love Liz."

Morty leaned forwards and hugged his grandpa. Rick's arms wrapped around him tightly, as if he was afraid Morty would disappear. He remembered what Liz said. Rick really was scared. But he knew how to cheer him up.

"How about we go on an adventure, just you and me?" he asked.

Rick's face lit up. "Great idea, Morty!" he exclaimed. "I'll go get my portal gun."

He left the room, and Morty looked at Liz in wonder. "How did you turn him around so fast?"

"I was honest with him," Liz replied.

"Thank you," Morty replied. "You're really amazing, you know that?"

"I do," Liz replied with a grin.

Rick came back into the room, waving his portal gun around. "I found it!" he exclaimed. "And I think it's your turn to pick the adventure, Morty."

"Thoughtful of you to remember," Morty commented.

Liz stood up. "You boys have fun," she said. "I'm gonna chill out in front of your interdimensional cable, okay?"

"Sure thing," Morty replied before turning to Rick. "What do you say we fly out to a random planet and run straight into trouble?"

"I say I like the way you think," Rick replied, entering the coordinates into his portal gun. "And I think I know just the place we can find that trouble you're looking for."


	7. Oblian Root

Nothing got Rick's adrenaline pumping like running from unfamiliar alien monsters, and this one was no exception. It had three heads, each with three eyes, and sickly looking yellow scales. But the worst part was its breath. As he ran, Rick could smell the stench. It was overpowering.

Morty was keeping up along side him easily. It used to be that Rick would have to drag the boy behind him, but these days Morty was much fitter. "We can lose him in the woods," Morty panted. "He's too big to follow us."

Rick nodded and increased his pace. Just a few more steps, and he was there, dodging tree branches and jumping over roots. "Rick!" Morty called out, and Rick turned around in panic. His feet wouldn't stop though, and he ran straight into a tree.

"Shit! Are you alright?" Morty was at his side in seconds, helping to steady him.

Rick grunted. "Yeah, think so," he replied. "I've had worse anyways."

"Do you hear that?" Morty asked with a smile.

The old scientist listened intensely, but the woods were oddly silent. He shook his head. "No," he replied, worrying that his hearing was going out.

"Exactly!" Morty exclaimed, smiling wider. "We lost him."

Rick returned the smile and put a hand on the kid's shoulder. "You were right. We did."

"Now, from what I studied, the oblian root is a deep purple color and should be at the heart of the woods," Morty said. "So I guess if we just keep walking straight, we'll find it."

"Oblian root, huh?" Rick asked. As far as he was aware, there was nothing special about the plant native to Krion. "What do you want that for?"

"To see if it tastes as good as everyone says it does," Morty explained.

Rick couldn't help but laugh at that. "You're telling me that we almost got eaten by a three-headed monster for an ingredient?"

Morty smirked. "Hey, this is my adventure, remember? No heckling."

The old scientist looked down at the boy and his smile turned into a frown. There was a time when his grandson wouldn't have wanted anything to do with dangerous three-headed aliens, but over the past few years the boy had developed a taste for danger. There were things he didn't miss, such as the boy's constant bitching and moaning, but he did miss that wide-eyed kid who'd stare at him in wonder but who would also put him in his place when he had gone too far. How had time passed by so fast that his little Morty was now eighteen and a college student?

Sensing the change in his mood, Morty turned around and looked at his grandpa in concern. "What's wrong, Rick?" he asked.

"Do you ever miss being younger?" Rick wondered aloud.

Morty's face darkened. "You mean when I was filled with debilitating anxiety, had the lowest self esteem on the planet, and even tried to kill myself?" he asked rhetorically. He gave a cheerless laugh and shook his head. "Not at all."

"Right," Rick replied awkwardly. The kid he missed had been a kid in pain, and he should be happy for Morty now. His stomach clenched with guilt for wanting that Morty back, even for a second.

Morty hadn't looked away. "But you miss those times, right?" he asked softly.

"I certainly don't miss when you tried to kill yourself," Rick said, trying to brush it off.

"But you miss the little kid who would follow you anywhere," Morty replied.

Rick remained silent. The last thing he wanted to do was make Morty feel bad for aging, which was something he couldn't control, especially since he was so much happier now. Morty sighed and continued. "Rick, you're my best friend. I'm always going to need you, okay?"

The old scientist nodded, not trusting his voice. Admittedly, he had done a lot of terrible things in his life, so what had he done to deserve Morty?

"I think I see it!" Morty said excitedly. "The root should come from that blue grass." The boy rushed forward in his excitement, grabbed a handful of grass, and pulled. Sure enough, a bunch of thick, purple roots hung down. "Come on, Rick, help me out!"

Rick couldn't help but smile at the boy's excitement. Maybe he had grown up, but he hadn't lost all those little things that made him Morty.

* * *

Morty let Rick portal them back home, landing in the living room. Liz was passed out on the couch watching Two Brothers, but awoke when she heard Rick and Morty enter the room. She looked up at the two with a sleepy smile. "How'd your adventure go?" she asked.

"Great," Morty replied, holding up his handful of oblian roots.

"Can you EURGH believe that this guy almost got us killed so he could make some soup?" Rick asked with a laugh.

"Hey!" Morty objected. "This is gonna be the best soup you've ever tasted."

Liz laughed along with Rick. "Well that does sound like an interesting story," she said. "Why don't you come tell me about it?"

Rick happily obliged, plopping down on the couch next to Liz. Morty smiled at the two of them getting along. Liz had never minded his rude, insensitive, eccentric grandpa. In fact, she actually seemed to care about him. Morty was surprised that right there didn't scare Rick away, but perhaps Rick hadn't realized it yet.

Morty turned and headed to the kitchen. He was excited to try out the oblian root. Mostly, he just wanted to impress Rick. He supposed there would always be a part of him that wanted to. But he didn't mind. He got out a pan, filled it with vegetable broth, and began heating it up. His phone started to vibrate, and he checked who was calling. It was Summer.

He answered. "Hey Summer, what's up?" he asked.

"I just wanted to let you know I'm driving home tomorrow," she replied.

"That's great!" Morty exclaimed. "Everyone will be so happy to see you. It's been so long."

"Too long," Summer agreed, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I actually wanted to talk to you about grandpa. Are you alone?"

Morty peeked out into the living room where Rick and Liz seemed to be engaged in an exciting conversation. "Yeah," Morty said softly. "I'm alone."

"Okay. Tell me exactly what happened," Summer instructed.

Morty swallowed hard, still slightly traumatized by the whole ordeal. "Alright," he agreed. "I got home, and the whole house smelled like alcohol. Like, it was really bad, Summer. So I went to look for him in his room and that's when I found the note."

"Oh god," Summer gasped. "What did it say?"

"It was addressed-" Morty cleared his throat. "It was addressed to me. It just said that his time had come and to get a replacement Rick for Mom's sake. So I ran down to the garage, vodka was everywhere, and there was an empty bottle of pills on the ground." Morty squeezed his eyes tightly shut, trying to get the image out of his brain. "I shook him awake, and he threw up all over me. I got him to the hospital, and they put him up in a room. Of course he refused to be admitted to the psych ward, so he's home now."

"Did- did he say why he would do such a thing?" Summer asked. It was obvious that she was crying by her voice.

Morty squeezed his eyes again in pain, tears starting to form. "It's my fault," he admitted. "I was busy with schoolwork, and I wasn't spending time with him, and he was starting to feel like he wasn't needed."

"That's not your fault," Summer assured him. "I haven't exactly been there for him either. I've just been hiding away up here, trying to escape Mom and Dad's fighting."

"That's understandable," Morty said. "They've been quiet since we got home. I guess they don't want to trigger anything."

Summer sighed. "And you've had to deal with this all on your own. I'm so sorry."

"Well, I'm not exactly alone. Liz is staying with us," Morty informed her.

"That's good," Summer said, clearly relieved. "How's he doing now?"

"Honestly?" Morty asked. "He seems so lost, like he doesn't know what to do with himself. He needs us, Summer."

"You're absolutely right," Summer agreed. "I'm going to come home every weekend to spend some time with him."

"He'd like that," Morty replied. "Even if he'll never say it."

"I gotta go now, Morty. But I'll be there tomorrow morning. I promise."

"Okay," Morty said. "Love you, Summer."

"Love you too, Morty."

Morty sighed and went back to his soup. He only hoped the oblian root would taste good enough to lift everyone's mood.


	8. Forgiven

Rick hadn't slept well the previous night, which was perhaps the reason he had fallen asleep on the couch watching interdimensional cable. The sound of the doorbell rang throughout the house, awakening him from his slumber. He groaned as he rubbed his eyes and got up to answer the door. As soon as he had opened it, his granddaughter had thrown himself into his arms, crying, "Grandpa! I've missed you!"

He closed his arms around Summer and pulled her tight. Though he would never admit it, it felt really good. A smile crept over his face as he looked down at her orange hair. "I've missed you too, Summer," he admitted. "Please, come in," he said, moving aside so she could enter the house.

Liz was walking out of the kitchen, cup of coffee in hand when she spotted Summer. A wide grin spread over her face. "Summer! Good to see you," she greeted.

"You too," Summer replied. "I'm really glad you're here."

It didn't take a genius to figure out that she meant for Morty. Because without her, Morty would be going through his attempted suicide on his own. A fresh wave of guilt washed over him as he caught the sad look in Summer's eyes. He hadn't meant to cause so much pain. That was the opposite of what he wanted. He had just wanted to end his own.

"Summer! You're here!" Morty called excitedly, rushing from the kitchen to give his sister a hug. Rick didn't miss the way she held on tighter than normal.

Rick knew he had to do something to lift the grief in this room. His mind wandered through the many dimensions, trying to think of somewhere beautiful and (relatively) harmless. He smiled slightly as he pictured the perfect place. "Well kids, now that we're all here, why don't we take a little trip?"

He didn't miss the way all three of the college students' eyes lit up in excitement. "I've missed our trips," Summer commented.

"Where are we going?" Morty asked.

Rick gave a sly smile as he pulled out his portal gun. "You'll see," he said. He shot open a portal and quickly ran through it. Behind him, he could here the three college students anxiously follow him and gasp in wonder. This dimension was just as beautiful as he remembered it.

They had landed in a meadow covered in pink flowers. Rick turned to see the three kids looking around in amazement. He smiled, glad that he could still make his grandkids and Liz happy. "If you think this is beautiful, just wait until you see what I really brought you here to see," he said.

He could tell the three were dying to ask what if was he wanted to show them, but they kept their mouths shut.

After all, that would ruin the mystery. He led the way through the meadow of flowers, turning around every once in a while to make sure the kids were still following him. Summer's excited giggling echoed through his ears, and it was only then that he realized he had missed that sound. He couldn't blame Summer for staying away from Beth and Jerry's fights, but he had missed her.

At some point, Morty and Liz had fallen behind, and Summer had caught up to him. After a few minutes of just walking in silence, she turned nervously to him and asked, "So, how are you feeling?"

"Good," Rick replied dismissively. He had never been one to talk about his feelings, and he wasn't about to start now.

"The truth, Grandpa," Summer pressed, and Rick turned to look her in the eyes. The fear and sadness he saw there was enough to send another rush of guilt through his body. He sighed. He really was getting tired of those.

Rick maintained eye contact and replied, "I'm doing better than before."

Summer smiled, and her eyes began to glow with love, making Rick slightly uncomfortable. "Good," she said. "Because I can't lose my grandpa. Not yet anyways."

After clearing his throat, Rick went back to staring in front of him. He wondered if this was how Morty had felt four years ago, with everyone fussing and worrying over him. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but deep down Rick had to admit it was also heartwarming. When he had downed those sleeping pills, he had truly believed that he wasn't needed, but since then, Morty and Summer had pulled through for him in a big way. It was about time he started to show his appreciation for the kids who added meaning to his life. He hoped this was a start.

Finally, they reached the edge of a cliff. Rick sat down with his feet dangling over the side and pat the ground next to him. Morty and Summer sat on opposite sides of him while Liz stayed by Morty. "So," Morty began. "What'd you bring us here for?"

Rick smiled with anticipation. The sun had almost set, and darkness was taking over the sky. The first few stars began to twinkle. He heard Summer gasp at its beauty, and Rick smiled even more. "Just wait for it," he instructed.

Suddenly, a flash of light streaked across the sky, too close to be a shooting star. Summer gasped again, and Morty asked, "Whoa! What is that?"

Rick's smile widened as he put his arms around his grandchildren's shoulders. "That is a giant firefly, native to this planet," he explained. "And it just so happens to be mating season, so we'll see plenty more where that came from."

Both Morty and Summer leaned into him, and Rick's heart grew warm. For a man who felt so unwanted only days ago, he couldn't be feeling anymore loved. He blinked back the tears threatening to spill over as he leaned back and watched the lights flicker across the sky.

* * *

By the time they got home, Morty was exhausted. He kicked off his shoes and collapsed onto the couch, not even bothering to change. Now that Summer was home, he had let Liz take his room. He pulled a warm blanket up around himself, fully preparing to fall into the sweet embrace of sleep when he heard footsteps.

Morty suppressed a groan, but only because he knew it was Rick. Who else would be up at this time of night? "Can I help you with something?" Morty asked, his voice sleepy, still not opening his eyes.

"No, actually," Rick said quietly. "I just wanted to talk."

If it had been anyone else, Morty would have told them to piss off and leave him alone, but this was Rick. His grandpa needed him. So, Morty brought himself up into a sitting position and offered Rick the other side.

His grandpa sat down with an odd look in his eyes. He hesitated before speaking. "Morty, I just want you to know that I'm really sorry."

"For what?" Morty asked, rubbing his sleepy eyes. "Tonight was amazing."

"Not about tonight," Rick replied, a nervous tone in his voice. "About a couple of days ago, when I..." He struggled to finish the sentence.

"When you tried to kill yourself?" Morty supplied.

Rick swallowed hard. "Yeah. That," he said. "I didn't realize how much I was going to hurt everybody. I never wanted to cause that kind of pain."

"Rick," Morty gently interrupted. "I've been where you are. I know what it's like. And you have nothing to be sorry for. Hell, even if you did, you'd be forgiven one-hundred percent."

His grandpa actually looked like he was holding back tears, which surprised Morty, but lately Rick had been more emotional than normal. "You're a good kid, you know that right?" Rick asked.

Morty gave a soft smile and replied, "Yeah. I know." He didn't bother telling Rick that he was technically an adult now because in Rick's mind, Morty would always be a kid, and Morty was okay with that because that's what Rick needed. And in a way, it was true. When it came to their adventures, he hadn't lost his sense of childlike wonder, nor did he ever cease to be amazed by his grandpa. "If anything, we're the ones who should be sorry," he continued.

Rick furrowed his brows in confusion. "Why?" he asked, genuinely confused.

The boy suppressed a sigh. He knew the dark place Rick was in, and he knew that it was clouding his mind. "We weren't there for you, and we should have been," Morty clarified. "But for what it's worth, we're here now."

"Thank you," Rick whispered. By this point, Morty could tell he was definitely holding back tears.

Suddenly, Morty bridged the gap between the two and wrapped his arms around Rick. He heard his grandpa sniffle as he returned the hug. "I love you," Morty said sternly. "Don't ever forget that."

"I love you too," Rick replied. He pulled away from the hug. "I should go. You look exhausted. I'm sorry for disturbing you so late."

Rick got up to leave, but before he could make it very far, Morty said, "Don't be. I'm here for you whenever you need me."

His grandpa turned his head slightly, and Morty could see a smile on his face, which caused Morty to smile too. He settled back into the couch as he watched his grandpa walk up to his room. Morty was starting to feel hope that Rick was going to be okay.


	9. Never Alone

"MORTY!"

Rick winced as Summer screamed, but he knew it was for the best. After all, the boy did have more medical experience than she did. It came with adventuring around the multiverse.

He heard the scramble of rushed footsteps before the door slammed open. There was Morty, gasping at the sight before him. "What the hell happened?" he demanded. Already, he was rushing towards his grandpa, ripping off his lab coat and pushing it onto Rick's bleeding side. Morty grabbed his hand roughly and pushed it against his coat. Rick already knew the drill; he had to keep pressure on the wound.

"So grandpa woke me up and asked if I wanted to grab some beer from the Xilar system," Summer began to explain, and Rick was more than happy to let her do the talking while he concentrated on not losing anymore blood. "And of course I said yes, because that shit's good," she continued. "So we portaled into the store right as it was getting robbed. Rick shot the robber of course, but he managed to graze Rick's side."

As Morty turned towards Rick's desk, he paused, glaring at the case of beer. "And as Rick was bleeding out, you still found the time to buy beer?" he asked venomously.

"Actually, the storekeeper gave it to us for free," Summer commented. Rick knew she wasn't oblivious to Morty's anger. She was simply ignoring it.

Before Morty could start yelling, Rick chimed in. "St-stop freaking out, would ya Morty? It's only a graze. It's not gonna kill me. I don't have plans of dying anytime soon." Morty's breath hitched, and Rick felt a fresh wave of guilt. "Besides, I think I deserved a case of beer for all my trouble."

Morty returned to his side with a needle in hand. Rick let go of the lab coat and removed his shirt, giving Morty full access to his wound. He sprayed Rick's sanitizing spray over the open wound. It stung, but Rick didn't even flinch. Gently, Morty took the needle and began to stitch him up, just like he had taught him how to do. Throughout the whole process, Rick remained still, letting Morty do his work.

When he was finished, Rick looked down at his side, impressed. Morty retrieved a wet rag and began wiping away the blood from the wound. "I swear, Rick, only you would find trouble while shopping for beer," he murmured.

"I don't go looking for trouble, it finds me," Rick stated.

Morty smirked. "I think it's both actually." He yawned and stretched. "What time is it, anyway?"

"4:26," Summer replied.

Now, Morty looked pissed. "Who the hell gets up at four in the morning to get beer?" he demanded.

Summer just shrugged. "It's 5:00 somewhere."

"To be fair, I never EURGH went to sleep," Rick replied.

"Well, you're going to sleep now," Morty decided. Rick opened his mouth to protest, but Morty spoke up again before he could. "You've just been shot. Doctor's orders."

Rick stood and sighed. "Fine, if it'll shut your trap, I'll try to get a few hours," he relented.

As he began to walk, Morty placed a gentle hand on his arm. Normally, Rick would have grumbled and shoved it away, but after the events of the past week, he allowed his grandson to show he cared. He knew it would make Morty feel better, and hopefully soon he would stop looking at Rick as if he was fragile. He hated that look, but he had no one to blame but himself.

Upon reaching his room, Rick sat down on his bed and motioned for Morty to sit down next to him. His grandson obliged, and Rick gently grabbed his arm and traced the light pink scar running in the opposite direction of all the other scars. Morty tensed under his touch. "Is this what you felt like?" Rick asked.

"What do you mean?" Morty questioned.

"Like everyone's looking at you like you're some goddamn abused puppy made of glass or some shit," Rick clarified.

Morty thought about it for a moment. "A little," he admitted. "But I think it was the wake-up call I needed."

"I swear the only person who looks at me normally these days is Liz," Rick said with a dark chuckle.

His grandson smiled. "Yeah, she's good at that."

Rick nodded. "I just want everything to go back to normal. To forget."

"We'll get there," Morty promised.

* * *

Morty stayed by his grandpa's side for a few minutes after he had fallen asleep. Even after his attempted suicide, Rick walked like he was a god. It was the little moments like this where Morty could see the humanity in him etched in the wrinkles of his face, and he wondered to himself, how could he have missed the signs?

He walked out, hanging his head down low. Despite what Liz kept trying to tell him, he still felt like this was all his fault. And for a horrifying moment, Morty wondered what it would be like if Rick had actually died. He knew that Rick was going to die eventually, but to have him go out by his own hand would break Morty. He'd forever be wondering what more he could have done to prevent it and blamed himself for being too self-centered.

As he entered the living room, he saw Liz sitting on the couch. Wearily, he plopped down next to her. "Summer told me what all the noise was about," she softly explained before resting her head on his shoulder. "I know that look, Morty. What's bothering you?"

"He's going to die someday," Morty began. "But if I lost him to suicide, I don't think I could handle it- always wondering if one extra minute spent with him could have prevented it. And no matter what you told me, I'd always blame myself for being too self-centered."

Liz nodded her head against his shoulder in understanding. "Rick didn't know you cut before he found you in that bathroom four years ago, right?" she asked.

"No," Morty answered.

"Do you think it's because he was too self-centered?" Liz asked.

Morty shook his head. "As much as he tries to pretend he only cares about himself, no. If I wasn't so good at hiding it, he would have noticed."

"That's exactly my point," Liz said. "That's the tragic truth about people like us. We're so good at hiding our pain because we don't want to burden other with it that nobody notices until it's too late." She paused for a moment. "But you weren't too late," she continued. "You rescued Rick just in time, just like he rescued you just in time four years ago. So focus on that instead of the could-have-beens."

"And who rescued you?" Morty asked softly.

"Nobody," Liz whispered. Morty could feel her tense up as she spoke. "My anxiety got so bad that in order to escape my retail job, I threw myself down the stairs. I was out cold for awhile, then I woke up alone with the worst headache imaginable. When my mom got home, she made me go to the hospital. I- I was at the end of my rope, so I finally confessed to the doctor."

Morty's breath hitched in his throat. "I'm so sorry," he said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I never knew that."

Liz gave a humorless laugh. "Cuz I never told you. I thought about it, and I thought, how could someone be in so much pain that they were ready to willingly throw themself down the stairs and still have no one notice? Then I realized, the answer was me."

Morty wrapped an arm around Liz and pulled her closer. "It was a long and lonely road," she admitted. "And then one day, a fourteen-year-old boy showed up in my psych ward, and suddenly I wasn't so alone anymore. You and Rick- you've never been alone, and you are so lucky to have each other and a family that loves you both so much. And I'm lucky that you came along and pulled me into it."

The couple sat in heavy silence, Morty letting every one of her words sink in. He couldn't imagine what it would have been like to wake up in that bathtub by himself if the cuts didn't kill him. And without Rick's care, it probably would have just happened again. He leaned backwards. His eyes were starting to droop shut, and the last thing he was aware of was Liz's gentle snoring.


	10. Toxic

The couple leaning against each other sleeping on the couch were so adorable it was sickening. Rick had no qualms whatsoever about what he was about to do. Besides, he had to remind Morty who he was. He was Rick fucking Sanchez, the closest thing this world had to a god, not some kicked puppy.

He braced himself as he pressed down on his airhorn. The awful noise consumed the whole house, and two pairs of eyes shot open, one brown and one blue. Morty let out something between a gasp and a scream while Liz just looked like she was about to go into cardiac arrest.

Morty wasted no time in grabbing his pillow and hurling it at Rick, who laughed loudly as it hit him in the chest. Since he had to nurse his wounded side, he needed to entertain himself somehow. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Morty grumbled as he rubbed his face, but there was no real anger in his voice. "I mean, seriously, very loudly waking a guy up twice in one morning!"

Liz just sat there blinking like a deer in headlights. "I think I need a Valium," she muttered, pushing herself up onto shaking legs and stumbling her way into the kitchen. Watching her, Rick immediately regretted his childish prank. It seemed everyone was right about him. He was nothing but a hurricane, causing only destruction wherever he went.

A pained sigh brought Rick's attention back to the couch where Morty was glaring up at him. "Did you really not think about how that was going to affect her anxiety?" he asked in irritation before stalking off into the kitchen after his girlfriend.

And just like that, Rick's good mood from the weekend was gone. Logically, Rick knew it was ridiculous to let one small mistake ruin all the progress he had made. Hell, he really did have a fun weekend with the three kids. But his emotions weren't listening to logic right now, so Rick did the only thing he could think to do.

He pushed his way into the garage, shut the door softly behind him, and was reaching for the new case of beer when the door suddenly opened again. "Summer!" Rick exclaimed, pasting on a false smile.

"I just wanted to say goodbye before I go back to school," Summer explained. She ran forward to give him a quick hug. "But I'll be back next week."

"See you soon," Rick replied, affectionately ruffling her hair. It seemed Summer was the only person he hadn't ruined yet, but it was bound to happen in time. He watched her retreat, closing the garage door behind her again.

Alone once more, Rick grabbed a bottle of beer and began chugging it. Whenever he had a problem, he turned straight to alcohol. He knew it was unhealthy, but he had been doing it since he was a teen, and he wasn't about to change.

'Goddamnit, Ricardo, you break everything you touch!' he heard his father's voice screaming at him.

With the look on Liz's face still fresh in his mind, he couldn't help but agree. The beer stung his throat as it went down, but Rick liked the way it felt.

Everyone would be better off without him. But killing himself was now out of the question. Now that he knew it would be his final, most devastating act of destruction, forever scarring the people he loved, he couldn't do that. But he could drink himself into an emotionless stupor.

The truth was, Rick knew he was toxic. He tried to act like he didn't care, but deep down he hated seeing everyone around him get dragged down. His parents, Diane, Beth, and now Morty. Too quickly, the drink was gone. He needed another.

Rick grabbed another can and began to down its contents. He had been toxic since birth. His parents had made that abundantly clear. He still remembered his dad, who would after beating him sigh in exasperation, "Look what you made me do, Ricardo!" And when his mother would clean his wounds, she would simply scold him. "If you weren't so much trouble, you wouldn't be in this mess in the first place." They had been happier before Rick, and likely were once they kicked him out on his eighteenth birthday.

And then there was Diane. They had been happy together, until Rick had built the portal gun and began spending more time off planet than on. Because what did he know about being a husband or a father? He hadn't exactly had good examples growing up. The light had slowly started to leave Diane's eyes, and it killed him, so he did what he did best. Run away. After all, he was toxic, and they were better off without him.

Why had he even come back in the first place?

How many drinks had he had now? Rick thought it was five, but he couldn't be sure. The Xilar stuff was strong. He was starting to get dizzy. Even sitting upright was a challenge. His vision blurred, and he was faintly aware that he had fallen off his chair and crumbled on the floor.

God, he was pathetic.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Morty asked gently, hugging Liz from behind.

Liz chuckled. "I'm fine, Morty," she replied.

"I'm sorry, he shouldn't have done that," Morty murmured.

With a sigh, Liz broke out of the hug so she could face Morty. "Seriously, Morty, it's okay. If I couldn't handle your grandpa... well... being himself, I wouldn't be here."

Morty gave a slight smile and nodded. "That's true," he said. "I just worry is all."

Liz rolled her eyes and smiled back. "You always worry about everything," she responded. "It's in your nature. But I'm fine, Morty. And I'll tell you if I'm not."

A loud thud from the garage quickly caught Morty's attention. It felt as if his heart stopped for a moment as he feared what trouble Rick had gotten himself into now, and right after being stitched up too. "We should go check on that," Liz said, pulling Morty out of his trance.

Morty nodded and rushed to the garage, not expecting to see the sight that lay before him. His grandfather lay in a heap on the floor, eyes shut tightly, tears carving a path down his cheek. "Rick!" Morty gasped as he ran over to him. He lifted his grandpa's shirt carefully and was relieved to see his stitches still in place. Next, he felt around his head, looking for unusual bumps or bruises. "I think he's okay," Morty said. "Just... really, really drunk."

"No kidding," Liz agreed. The green-haired girl knelt down to check Rick's pulse. "We should get him to bed."

Between the two of them, Morty and Liz didn't have any trouble lifting Rick to his feet and supporting him with their shoulders. Barely conscious, Rick moved his feet as the couple led him to his room. Once inside, Morty gently lowered the old man onto his cot. Gently, he removed Rick's lab coat, shoes, and socks. As he was placing them by Rick's bedside, Liz had sat down on the edge of his bed, looking at him sadly. "I wish you wouldn't drink so much," she said with a sigh.

"Halfta," Rick slurred, and Morty wondered if he was even in control over what he was saying.

Morty sat down on the opposite edge of Rick's bed and softly brushed the hair off his forehead. "Why do you have to?" he asked, not really expecting an answer.

"Ta keeme from 'membering," Rick murmured, opening his sad, brown eyes.

"Remembering what?" Morty probed.

"'Mmm toxic, Morty," Rick moaned.

"Pretty sure the only thing toxic about you is that shit in your bloodstream," Liz replied sympathetically.

Rick shook his head fervently before squeezing his eyes shut again and placing a hand on his temple. "Mom an Dad say so. Diane say so. Hurt Beth. Hurt e'ryone."

Morty sighed sadly. Rick never talked about his parents or grandma before, and Morty was starting to understand why. He and Liz exchanged sad looks. He placed his hand on Rick's shoulder. "That isn't true. Our lives have been so much better since you came back. Especially mine," he said.

Tears began to make their way down Rick's cheek. Morty shot Liz a panicked look. "I- I've never seen him like this before," he said shakily. "I don't know what to do."

"He's so drunk he's lost the ability to suppress his trauma," Liz replied. "Rick, can you hear me?" The man in question slightly nodded. "You are not the toxic one. You never were. Your parents treated you cruelly, and that's not your fault. I don't know what happened with Diane, but I'm sure it's a direct effect of your childhood. You have to forgive yourself for how you reacted to the terrible things done to you. Maybe you did hurt Beth, but here you are making amends. You're a good man, Rick Sanchez."

Morty's eyes raised slightly at the end of Liz's speech. "You really think that?" he asked in wonder. Hell, not even Morty thought he was a good man.

Liz nodded and whispered, "I do. He may act like an asshole, but deep down he's good."

Rick's soft snoring filled the room, and Morty looked down at him in consideration. Morty had seen him kill and steal with no remorse, but maybe Liz had a point. He may not necessarily be a good man, but that didn't mean he didn't have goodness inside of him.


	11. Epilogue

**Author's note:** Well it looks like I'm back from my hiatus. Real life has this nasty habit of getting in the way with writing. Your patience and support means the world to me.

* * *

Rick wasn't sure what time it was when he awoke with a massive hangover. Somehow he had made it to his bed, or someone had brought him there. He didn't remember what happened or what led him to drink, but he did feel an odd sense of warmth in his stomach. With a groan, he dragged himself out of bed.

Every muscle and joint ached, the lights blinded him, and every noise felt like sandpaper against his ear drum, but his mood was considerably higher than it had been in a long time. He wondered if he was still partially drunk, but he didn't feel any of alcohol's effects as he made his way downstairs.

In the kitchen, he ran into Morty, who was pulling some leftovers out of the fridge. As their eyes met, he could tell something had changed. While he was drunk, he must have said something way too personal, because Morty was looking at him weirdly. "Hey, Rick," his grandson greeted him. "How are you feeling?"

"None of your damn business, Morty," Rick snapped, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. "Now why the hell are you looking at me like that?"

Rick saw the hurt and confusion flash across his grandson's face, and he scowled at himself. The boy was only trying to help, and it wasn't Morty's fault that Rick had gotten shit-faced and overshared. "Look, I'm sorry," he apologized quickly. "It's- it's just a really bad hangover. Nothing I'm not used to. I'll survive."

Without a word, Morty gathered a glass of water and an Aspirin for Rick. He smiled appreciatively at his grandson and quickly downed the pill and water. "You've been passed out all day," Morty explained with a frown of worry. "Maybe you should switch beers."

"If I want the weak -urp- shit, I'll drink Earth stuff," Rick replied with a snort. His coping mechanisms were toxic, but he was not about to change.

Morty softly bit at his lip, worry crossing his face. "Rick..." he began hesitantly. "Do you really think you're toxic?"

It felt like the wind had been knocked out of him as Rick stared down at Morty in shock. "Is... is that what I said when I was drunk?" A guilty nod confirmed Rick's fear. The kid had enough of his own issues without having to deal with Rick's. "Not sure why I said that, just don't think about it," he replied, trying to sound reassuring.

"You know I can't do that," Morty pushed gently. "Is that... is that the real reason you tried to kill yourself?" he whispered.

Rick bit down hard on his lip and closed his eyes in defeat. "I- I don't know, Morty," he admitted.

When he reopened his eyes, Morty was looking up at him in sorrow. "I'd be dead if you weren't here, remember?" he asked. Rick tried hard to forget, but he was never able to. "If you hadn't found me... if you hadn't cared about me, I wouldn't have stood a chance."

"Maybe you would've," Rick muttered. "Maybe Beth or Diane would have been better mothers without me."

Morty sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Mom wouldn't exist without you," he argued. "And I love her for who she is, and that is because of you."

Rick nodded, seriously considering Morty's words. "I was wrong when I tried to kill myself," he said. "I thought I did more harm than good. But I can see now that leaving would be the most harmful thing I can do, so as long as I'm still here, I'm going to make the best of every moment I have with my family."

His grandson beamed up at him. Life really was a beautiful thing, and he was going to make sure he stuck around for as long as possible not just for Morty, but for himself.


End file.
